About Spectrum Insurance Group

We have decades of experience in the life insurance industry. Our licensed agents work with over 20 of the best life insurance companies and compare their rates for you so that you can find the cheapest policy with the best benefits.

Here are just a few of our accomplishments.

Our team of agents is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

For years, we’ve helped 1000’s of people in all different situations find affordable life insurance by comparing quotes from multiple carriers.

Our agents have been featured in places like Yahoo Finance, NerdWallet, Bloomberg, and the Huffington Post.

We’re dedicated to educating you, and helping you get the right type of life insurance policy. You can read any of our almost 100 articles on this site, or fill out our quote tool and call to quickly find the best rates.

Frequently Asked Questions About Life Insurance

Before we get into some of the finer details of life insurance such as:

Let’s take some time to answer some of the basic questions about life insurance.

What is Life Insurance?

Life insurance is financial protection for your loved ones in the event of your untimely or unexpected death. Premiums are paid by policy owners, in exchange for protection in the form of a death benefit.

How Much Does Life Insurance Cost?

Life insurance costs vary per person based on a number of different factors:

5 Tips for Finding the Best Life Insurance Policy

The best way to find the most affordable life insurance policy is to speak with an expert, but here are a few tips for finding the best life insurance rates on your own.

#1 Determine How Much Coverage You Need

The best way to determine coverage is to ask what are you protecting.

Are you protecting dependents or assets or both? How much do your dependents need? Think about your house payments and tuition.

These are your biggest financial commitments. What kind of gap would be left in families finances without you?

An easy way to calculate this is to 10x your salary.

Most agents have financial calculators to help you work through your life insurance needs.

As we’ve seen, life insurance needs change over time and as we age. Near the end of life, the only protection you may need is for burial costs or an estate tax shelter.

#2 Determine What Policy Length Is Right For You

How long do you really need life protection?

Your whole life or just a period of years? This is will determine your pricing and policy selection.

Think through why you are buying insurance. You will always need insurance. You need to decide when you should buy insurance for protection or have the funds to self-insure.

#3 Understand Policy Riders & Options

Both term and permanent policies come with a wide variety of options.

Each life insurance company will have their own list. With permanent life insurance policies, you can choose various investment vehicles such as money market funds, index funds, or mutual funds.

Term life policies come with the ability to convert the policy into a permanent policy. Some policies allow you to receive the death benefit during your life if you experience a terminal illness.

Each option will change the pricing. Make sure you understand and look at all your options.

#4 Understand Which Companies Are Best For Your Needs

One reason we provided a list of companies (below) is that not all companies are equal.

Insurance companies are rated by various agencies. The most popular is the AM Best rating. They score from A++ to S.

The companies in our top 10 list are all highly rated carriers. The ratings indicate financial stability, which is important when it comes to the death benefit. You need to know that the company have the ability to pay claims in 5, 10, 20 years or more.

It’s really important not to choose a carrier based on TV marketing.

Also, don’t quote one or two carriers and make a decision. You might not only lose out on better pricing. You might buy a product that doesn’t completely fit your needs.

#5 Ask The Right Questions

More important than even company selection is agent selection.

Not all life insurance agents are equal.

Here is what you should ask when choosing an agent so they can guide you to the best life insurance policy that fits your needs and budget.

Does The Agent Represent Multiple Life Insurance Companies?

If an agent only represents one company, they may not have your best interest in mind. They can only sell what they have and will make you fit their policy rather than finding the right policy that fits you.

Does The Agent Have Certifications?

Insurance certifications are important.

This indicates a professional and someone who is committed to becoming an expert in their field. Most designations have a binding code of conduct or ethics statement. This provides you with a sense of security about the advice they give.

Our agents are professionals representing a wide variety of carriers. We work hard to tailor a policy to fit your needs. Spectrum Insurance Group advisors will work on your behalf to find the company that will offer you an affordable life insurance policy for your specific needs.

How Life Insurance Rates Are Determined

Life insurance rates are determined by the applicant’s health, age, gender, and the type of coverage they are looking for.

People who are older or are in poor health will pay higher rates than individuals who are younger and in good health. That’s why it’s typically best to find a policy before you get older.

Factors That Affect Life Insurance Rates

Here are the primary factors that affect the rates of life insurance policies. They will vary from one life insurance carrier to the next, but most companies will want to know this information about you.

Age

Gender

Height

Weight

Blood Pressure

Smoking

Current Health

Health History

Occupation

Marital Status

Alcohol Use

Lifestyle & Hobbies

Driving Record

Foreign Travel

Criminal Record

Medications

These factors can seemingly complicate the buying process. Each company views these factors differently and makes different decisions based on the data.

This is why it is beneficial to use an agent or broker rather than one single company to find the best fit for your situation. Rather than first finding a life insurance company, it’s best to figure out which type of life insurance policy you need.

Types of Life Insurance

A search for types of life insurance products will make your head spin at the spectrum of options.

Here’s a small sample of what you might find:

term life

whole life

universal

key man insurance

buy-sell

second to die

high risk

burial

end-of-life

guaranteed acceptance

and more!

Overwhelmed?

In reality, all life insurance products can be reduced into two types of life insurance policies: term life insurance and permanent life insurance.

There are different types of term life insurance and permanent life insurance that we’ll cover below. But know that all policies fall into one of those two categories.

Differences Between Term Life Insurance & Permanent Life Insurance

When it comes to term vs permanent life insurance, there are a few factors to consider.

Permanent life insurance comes with additional benefits over the term. All permanent products have an investment component. This portion of the policy is the policies cash value. Each type of permanent policies has slightly different investment components.

Whole life policies accrue value more conservatively. Variable Life policies will be more aggressive with growth but come with higher risk.

The cash value gives you multiple options. You can surrender the policy, and pocket the cash. You can borrow the cash out of the policy. You can even use the cash to eventually pay your premium. If the policy remains in effect at your death, your beneficiary will not only get the insurance portion but the cash accumulation.

Is Term Life or Permanent Life Insurance Better?

In truth, it depends on your situation.

Celebrity financial advisors such as Dave Ramsey and Suzie Ormond preach against permanent life insurance.

Here’s the argument.

An individual should buy term only. Then take the difference in money they would have spent on permanent insurance and invest it themselves.

Theoretically, this makes sense, but in practice, it rarely happens.

Most of us are not disciplined savers. Permanent life delivers a death benefit but also forces you into a disciplined investment product.

Permanent Insurance is perfect for those who have maxed out other retirement investment. It also provides a tax shelter, because earnings are tax-deferred.

A great insurance broker can help analyze which types of insurance are the best for you and your investment temperament.

About Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance is a type of policy where you choose a specific time frame to be covered.

For example, let’s say you are 30 years old and decide to buy a 20-year term policy for $500,000. If you die between the ages of 30 & 50, your beneficiaries will receive $500,000.

Term life insurance is pure life insurance. Each company may add special options and riders. Some will decrease coverage over time (mortgage life insurance), others may keep premiums equal through the term (level term), and others will even return the premium at the end of the term (ROP term)

Term life is life insurance with an end date. When you buy, you must decide on the amount of the death benefit and how long the coverage will last.

How Long Does Term Life Insurance Last?

Common term life insurance policies last between 10 and 30 years in 5-year increments.

For example:

You are a 30-year-old man, and you decide to shop for a 30-year term policy for $1,000,000. If die at any point between age 30 to age 60, the policy would pay your beneficiaries $1,000,000.

When you purchase term insurance, the longer the time period you choose the higher the premiums will be.

Is Term Life Insurance Right For Me?

For most people, term life is the superior product. If a person stashes away a large retirement fund, they have little need for life insurance as their dependents leave and their nest egg grows.

An empty-nester with no mortgage and substantial savings and investments need less insurance. Coverage needs are smaller. Savings will provide whatever insurance would have covered.

To summarize…

Term insurance is life insurance with a guaranteed premium for a specific amount of time. Life insurance with an expiration date.

About Permanent Life Insurance

Permanent life insurance, unlike term, covers your entire life with no expiration date.

You’ve probably heard of whole life, burial insurance, universal life, and variable universal life. All those policies fall into the category of permanent life insurance.

Types Of Permanent Life Insurance Products

The main types of permanent life insurance are:

Whole Life

Universal Life

Variable Life

Whole life insurance functions like insurance plus a savings account. This allows you to borrow against the cash value of your policy throughout your life. This comes on a tax-free basis.

Universal life is insurance plus a money-market account. This type of life insurance offers opportunities to invest in market indices like the S&P or DOW. These policies accumulate cash value based on the performance of these indices, with minimum guaranteed gains to protect policy owners.

Variable life is insurance plus a mutual fund component. Variable life allows you to invest in mutual funds that are managed by the insurance company, which are called mutual life insurance companies. These funds also guarantee minimum gains in order to protect policyholders against losses.

Life Insurance With A Medical Condition

Many people wonder if they can even qualify for life insurance with a medical condition.

Yes, it is possible to get life insurance if you have a severe medical condition. In fact, there are many types of no medical exam life insurance policies specifically for people with medical conditions.

High Risk (No Medical Exam) Life Insurance

Sometimes you will see a third category in life insurance discussions called High Risk Life Insurance.

It’s more of a niche than a separate category because any high risk policy will either be term life insurance or permanent.

By high risk, insurance companies refer to customers who have medical issues, such as diabetes or transplants. It could refer to customers who are smokers or even former substance abusers. It might refer to people with high risk hobbies or careers. Sometimes it even refers to older adults.

Types of high risk policies are usually no-medical exam policies and guaranteed issue policies regardless of health or behavior.

Who Is No Medical Exam Life Insurance Best For?

Spectrum recommends no medical exam life insurance for people with any of the following medical conditions:

Asthma

Heart conditions

COPD

Diabetes

Cardiovascular disease

Other dangerous diseases

Who Is Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance Best For?

Spectrum recommends guaranteed issue life insurance for people with any of the following medical conditions:

Cancer

Dimensia

Fibrosis

Heart failure

Terminal illnesses

If you fall into any of these categories, this is where consulting with an agent is incredibly beneficial. Every company has different guidelines and products and prices for high risk policies. It is a lot for an individual to navigate. Our agents are experts on finding the best coverage and value if you fall in this niche.

No Medical Exam Life Insurance Rates

A “no medical exam” policy is an easy way to secure coverage without being declined because of health issues. This is a guaranteed way to find coverage.

It can also be used as a temporary policy, while you try to secure a more traditional policy with full medical questions and exams.

If you are concerned insurance companies will decline you due to health, use this type of policy to obtain coverage easily and quickly.

Here are some no medical exam life insurance rates:

Age

Coverage/Policy

Male Rate

Female Rate

45

$25,000 Whole Life

$24/mo.

$22/mo.

$100,000 Whole Life

$73/mo.

$73/mo.

$50,000 30yr Term

$30/mo.

$23/mo.

55

$25,000 Whole Life

$37/mo.

$31/mo.

$100,000 Whole Life

$121/mo.

$100/mo.

$50,000 30yr Term

$61/mo.

$50/mo.

65

$25,000 Whole Life

$61/mo.

$51/mo.

$100,000 Whole Life

$206/mo.

$167/mo.

$50,000 30yr Term

Not available

Not available

75

$25,000 Whole Life

$230/mo.

$197/mo.

$100,000 Whole Life

$461/mo.

$939/mo.

$50,000 30yr Term

Not available

Not available

85

$25,000 Whole Life

$xx/mo.

$xx/mo.

$100,000 Whole Life

Not available

Not available

$50,000 30yr Term

Not available

Not available

No medical exam life insurance is actually quite affordable for people who otherwise would receive very high rates for other types of coverage.

Types of Life Insurance for Seniors

Term life insurancefor seniors is best for those who need coverage for only a specific period of time. It is important to note that term policies are usually only available for seniors through age 85. Some policies extend to 95 years of age.

Burial insurance is best for seniors who only need limited coverage. These policies provide simplified and guaranteed issue life insurance for seniors up to $25,000. Some policies extend as high as $100,000 in coverage.

Long-term care insurance is best for seniors who plan on, or already have a need for long-term care. It can be purchased for parents and is often times offered as a rider on term and whole life insurance for seniors.

Permanent life insurance for seniors is not often recommended due to the high premiums associated with it. Often times, it makes more financial sense for seniors to purchase term or burial coverage.

Life Insurance Rates For Seniors

As the rates below demonstrate, life insurance is not out of reach as we get older. One of the major types of insurance seniors purchase is burial insurance. The coverage is much smaller and the policies are guaranteed issue in spite of health conditions.

Age

Policy Type

Face Value

Male Rate

Female Rate

55

10 Year Term

$500,000

$76/mo.

$55/mo.

20 Year Term

$500,000

$133/mo.

$97/mo.

Burial – GUI*

$25,000

$85/mo.

$67/mo.

65

10 Year Term

$500,000

$220/mo.

$136/mo.

20 Year Term

$500,000

$457/mo.

$298/mo.

Burial – GUI

$25,000

$133/mo.

$100/mo.

75

10 Year Term

$500,000

$675/mo.

$460/mo.

20 Year Term

$500,000

$1254/mo.

$871/mo.

Burial – GUI

$25,000

$244/mo.

$176/mo.

80

10 Year Term

$500,000

$1514/mo.

$1221/mo.

20 Year Term

$500,000

Not applicable

Not applicable

Burial – GUI

$25,000

$340/mo.

$255/mo.

Below is a good example of life insurance rates for seniors.

Let’s say you are a 60-year-old man, searching for a $100,000 life policy. You are not in perfect health, but just average. An insurance company might put you in its lowest regular tier. You search online and find an AARP term life site (they use New York Life).

You plug in your info and for a 20-year term policy for $100,000 you would pay $159/month. And premiums increase in 5-year bands, so at age 65 your premium jumps to $212/month.

Life insurance rates for a Regular class 60-year-old male, $100,000 for 20 years:

The Best Life Insurance Companies

As a life insurance broker, we have contracted with multiple carriers to provide you with the most competitive, affordable, life insurance product unique to your needs. We are able to shop between carriers and pick the company with the most favorable guidelines and pricing.

While prices may vary based on many factors, these life insurance companies offer the best combination of affordable coverage, financial stability, policy options, and customer satisfaction.

This site provides life insurance information and quotes. The rates and information displayed are based on information provided by the life insurance carriers. It should be used for informational purposes only and is subject to change. No portion of spectruminsurancegroup.com may be copied, published or distributed in any manner for any purpose without prior written authorization of the owner. Spectruminsurancegroup.com offers life insurance products and services through Rootfin Life Insurance Services. We are licensed in all 50 states & the District of Columbia.